Stowaway Accused of Hiding on Flight from New York to Paris Arrested Again
Re-Arrested at U.S.-Canada Border
Svetlana Dali, the 57-year-old accused stowaway who sneaked onto a flight from New York to Paris in November, has been arrested again. This time, she was caught at the U.S.-Canada border after ditching her ankle bracelet monitor.
Background
Dali was first arrested in November after sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens to Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. She was taken into custody and denied entry to France after landing at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Officials reported that two attempts to send Dali back to the U.S. were unsuccessful after she became disruptive.
Recent Events
Dali’s boyfriend found the severed ankle monitor and notified law enforcement. A day prior, she had allegedly cut off the monitor while staying with her boyfriend in Philadelphia. She then took a Greyhound bus to Buffalo, where she was stopped by Canadian authorities as she tried to cross the border. Dali was taken into custody and later turned over to the FBI.
Court Proceedings
Dali is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday afternoon before being turned over to the Eastern District of New York, where she was initially charged. Spokespersons for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI declined to comment.
Previous Court Hearings
At a previous bail hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brooke Theodora expressed concerns that Dali might flee while awaiting trial. Dali’s court-appointed lawyer, Michael Schneider, argued that the charge against her was minor and compared it to jumping a turnstile to enter the city’s subway system. Prosecutors objected, citing national security concerns and public safety risks.
Stowaway Charge
The federal stowaway charge is rare, with only 41 individuals charged with the crime in a 10-year span. More than 330,000 people were charged with federal crimes in the same timeframe.
Conclusion
Svetlana Dali’s case raises concerns about national security and public safety. Her recent re-arrest highlights the importance of strict bail conditions to ensure that individuals charged with serious offenses, such as stowaway charges, attend their court hearings.
FAQs
Q: What is a stowaway charge?
A: A stowaway charge is a federal offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
Q: How rare is a stowaway charge?
A: According to the Bureau of Justice, only 41 individuals were charged with the crime in a 10-year span, making it a rare offense.
Q: What were Svetlana Dali’s previous attempts to sneak into secure areas of US airports?
A: Dali had previously attempted to sneak into secure areas of other US airports, including Miami International Airport in February 2019.
